Lead Breast Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist

Job summary
Band 8a Lead Oncology Breast Clinical Nurse Specialist

Are you an experienced Breast Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist with a passion for delivering outstanding patient care and inspiring others? We are seeking an exceptional and motivated nurse to join the Royal Surrey Cancer Centre as our Lead Breast Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead an established, highly regarded Breast CNS team within one of the UK's leading cancer centres. Working as part of our multidisciplinary team, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering high-quality, evidence-based care for patients with breast cancer across their treatment pathway.

As the Lead Breast Oncology CNS, you will provide expert clinical leadership, operational management and strategic direction for the Breast CNS service. You will work closely with consultant oncologists, surgeons, allied health professionals, research teams and wider cancer services to ensure patients receive seamless, compassionate and personalised care.

Main duties of the job
The key function of the Lead Breast Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist is to work with the Lead Cancer Nurse to co-ordinate the delivery of a comprehensive Breast oncology service within the Trust.

This role has a strong highly autonomous clinical component where the CNS will be key in assessing the patients and providing a holistic treatment plan. The nature of this post means that you will have direct influence over nursing care standards and will be able to directly challenge and manage practice. This role is one where the Consultants and CNS will work as equals to provide the best care possible for the patient, and implement high quality standards across the allied health professional groups. The post holder will need to draw on a wide range of past experience in order to advise others and lead practice in regard to the patients with Breast Cancer.

The post holder will work clinically and strategically with the local MDTs to monitor and develop policy, training and services against local and National guidelines including relevant IOG guidance and Cancer Measures.

This autonomous role will co-ordinate services and provide support to patients with Breast Cancer and their carers /families while they are under the care of the Royal Surrey Cancer Centre. You will act as key worker when appropriate and utilise expert knowledge to provide comprehensive specialist advice, assessment, information and psychological support.

About us
Royal Surrey is a compassionate and collaborative acute and community Trust. Recognising that our 5,000 colleagues are our greatest strength, we offer a comprehensive health and wellbeing programme alongside a strong commitment to developing your career. Our diverse and welcoming Royal Surrey family ensures you feel valued from your initial interview and throughout your time with us.

We are clinically led and provide joined-up care by bridging hospital and community services, alongside delivering regional specialist cancer care. Our main acute hospital site is in Guildford, with community sites at Milford, Haslemere and Cranleigh, and services delivered in patients' homes across Guildford and Waverley.

We work in partnership with Ashford & St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust through a collaborative Group Model, supporting joined-up services, workforce flexibility and development opportunities.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated us as Outstanding. We are proud of our achievements and continue to invest in our people and infrastructure.

To learn more about life at Royal Surrey, please watch our short video:

Adverts may close early, so you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Details
Date posted: 24 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £59,798 to £67,020 a year
Per annum pro rata including high cost area supplement
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 384-LG-EMF20978-B8a
Job locations: Royal Surrey, Egerton Road, Guildford, GU2 7XX, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
The post holder will lead and manage the Breast Nursing Team on a daily basis, ensuring that the team provide an excellent service to the Trust through evidence based practice, education, policy and guideline development. Develop and embed supported self-management initiatives, personalised care interventions and holistic patient support models. Provide highly specialised clinical expertise and professional leadership to multidisciplinary teams across acute, community and primary care settings. Be responsible for the operational management, service development and quality improvement of the pathways within remit. Contribute to workforce planning, education, governance, audit, research and service transformation. Work autonomously within professional and organisational frameworks, exercising advanced clinical judgement and leadership. Develop and manage nurse led clinics to streamline the breast cancer services to improve patient experience and develop effective pathways Maintain a high profile in clinical practice, promoting clinical excellence, initiating learning opportunities and promoting effective learning environments in all ward areas and clinic areas

Clinical Responsibilities

• Undertakes the role of key worker for Breast cancer patients and cover for the key worker for the MDT as per MDT operational policy.
• Attend MDT meetings on a regular basis complying with the standards as outlined in the Cancer Measures
• Actively supports patients and their families, through communicating difficult and complex information using appropriate and individualised methods to ensure effective understanding, empowering them to make an informed decision about their care options.
• To be responsible for supporting and counselling patients and their families, showing empathy when dealing with bad news and explaining treatment options.
• Proactively supports patients and carers in coming to terms with their illness/condition, providing on-going support.
• To provide information in a way that is suitable for the patients their careers and families, including the manner in which the information is disseminated, complexity and language used and the timing of its giving.
• Provides empathy and reassurance through the quality of life issues that are associated with living with their disease and the effects of cancer treatments.
• With support acts as an expert practitioner within the multi-disciplinary team, providing specialist nursing knowledge, co-ordinating specialised patient care and effectively communicating any changes in condition/treatment.
• Ensures information is conveyed to the patient in a timely and understandable manner, using different communication methods to clarify understanding. Supports the surgical, Oncology Consultants and medical team in providing patients with diagnosis, treatment options and delivering bad news.
• Support the Oncologists in the assessment and monitoring of patients receiving systemic anti-cancer treatments and supportive therapies
• Provides specialist advice and care with support and has the ability to work as an autonomous practitioner.
• The CNS will be responsible for ordering, assessing and interpreting diagnostic investigations within Trust policy and agreed pathways, using their knowledge and skills to interpret results and implement care accordingly. Recognises own limitations and refers on to other specialised agencies when appropriate. Explains test results and consequences to patients, carers and staff and ensures their understanding by careful and sensitive questioning.
• By observation and sensitive questioning assesses patient compliance with agreed management plans, identifying any concerns or adjustments required.
• Effectively communicates between clinical areas and patients regarding appointments, admissions, discharges and subsequent follow-up ensuring administration procedures are up to date.
• Develop policies applicable to the role or patient group being managed
• Responsible for facilitating the provision of patient centred care, utilising other members of the Health Care Team both locally and within the Network boundary, providing them with relevant information.
• With support, makes clinical judgements and provides the patient with direct written/ verbal referral to supportive and Palliative Care Services including specialist psychological services.
• Liaise with Acute and Community staff as well as the Cancer Centre consultants and nursing teams, clinical nurse specialists and other professionals.
• Makes appropriate referrals on to other Health Care professionals when required in accordance with the patients wishes
• To work closely with the Clinical Director, Oncology Consultants and Cancer MDTs and medical teams in delivering a high quality, safe and compliant service to this population.

Knowledge, Education and Training

• Demonstrates advanced knowledge and innovative practice in relevant specialist area. Act as a role model demonstrating high standards of holistic care and provide clinical leadership
• Utilises specialist knowledge and expertise to assess, plan, and implement care interventions for the patient, encouraging the patient and family to be involved in decision-making.
• Uses up to date evidence based expertise to recommend adjustments/amendments to treatments plans, in consultation with patients and members of the multi-professional team.
• Maintains up to date knowledge in the specialised field, using information to affect change in practice, disseminate new information effectively and actively support the implementation of any change in practice. Responsible for interpreting new knowledge, to ensure practice is up to date and in line with current recommendations.
• Provides specialist advice to patients and their families on current treatments, keeping them informed of new developments appropriate to their condition.
• The nurse will take responsibility for their own continuing educational needs ensuring these also reflect the needs of the service. They will have obtained the theoretical and practical knowledge to a level that allows the job responsibilities to be delivered to a high standard.
• To develop the skill set and training programmes in line with national guidance and the needs of the service.
• Lead and participates in the teaching and formulation of education programs
• To work with new and existing staff by developing staffs clinical skills and competency.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Register Nurse with a Degree and current NMC registration
• Post registration qualification in Oncology or Breast cancer care
• Educated to master's level in relevant area or evidence of working at that level.
• Advanced Communications Skills training
• Psychology Level 2 training
• Non-medical prescriber or willing to complete
• Evidence of recent professional updating and SACT competency

Desirable

• Mentor Prep/Teaching and Assessing qualification
• Leadership/Management qualification or willingness to complete

Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Evidence of significant experience of working at a senior clinical level with breast cancer patients.
• Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development
• Recent experience of leading, implementing and evaluating change
• Service Improvement experience
• Evidence of working as a senior clinical leader
• Knowledge of clinical governance issues such as complaints handling, clinical risk management

Desirable

• Audit experience
• Project management experience or qualification

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Royal Surrey, Egerton Road, Guildford, GU2 7XX, United Kingdom
Employer's website: (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Lead Cancer Nurse
Kate Upshon
View email address on meeveem.com
View phone number on meeveem.com

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).